Dehairing of pelts



Jan. 10, 1939. R. H PLAss DEHAIRING OF PELTS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledSept! 27, 1934 mm m m V W W A y 5 2. c F

Jan. 10, 1939. R. H. PLASS DEHAIRING 0F PELTS Filed Sept. 27, 1934 3Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORI 0502 E P iass.

Jan. 10,1939.

R H.- PLASS 2,143,422

" DEHAIRING OF PELTS Filed Sept. 27, 1954 '5 sheets-sheet s i mumn aINVENTOR Hoerz li id-$5.

ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 10, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,143,422DEHAIRING F BELTS Robert H. Plass, Upper Montclair, N. J. ApplicationSeptember 2'7, 1934, Serial No. 745,656 34 Claims. (01. 19-2) Thisinvention relates to the dehairing of aniing of the latter. Alsojournaled in the frame mal pelts or skins to produce fur useful, for eX-members 6 to the rear of the rollers I, 8, is a ample, in themanufacture of hats. A prime pair of rollers 9, HI. The upper roller '9is comobject of the invention is to accomplish the reposed of a seriesof circular blades H each of moval of hair or fur from pelts or skins ina which blades has projecting around its periphery 5 novel and highlyeflicient manner, involving a a series of teeth 12 with flat ends; whilethe lower minimum of waste. The invention provides in roller Iiisimilarly comprises a set of circular this connection a novel peltdehairing method, blades It, the peripheral teeth M of each bladetogether with novel apparatus for carrying out 13, h0wever,being ofinclined or saw-tooth shape.

said method, whereby the loss of fur occasioned From the rollers 9, Hi,the pelt passes into the 10 by prior practice is substantially reduced.An range of action of the knife l.5,which is positioned importantfeature of the invention resides in the transversely t0 t line travel ofthe P t a d provision of air blast means in such relation to is alsoarranged to cut into the pelt sufiiciently the cutting mechanism as to.remove the severed to s v r th fu om. w th u w 15 fur promptly andthoroughly from the cutting u ti g e y through the pe t e W i 15station, thereby avoiding repeated cutting of the knife is a cutting bedso constructed as to he ends of the severed fur, and with consequentyieldable along the line of the cut, so that regardmarked reduction ofundesirable wastage. The less of substantial variations in'thickness ofthe invention further provides for the practicable and p the letter ispressed evenly against he edge effective dehairing of pelts without thenecessity of the k i e along the entire length t 20 of cutting the sameinto pieces or slivers. A iur- This cutting bed y comprise a S es O b other feature of the invention resides in the proit which are mountedbetween guide members vision of means atthe rear of the cutting mech- 18, a d r t a their lower s p an anism for positively and automaticallydrawing ment-lfi of rubberor other suitable resilient mathe peltsthrough the cutting apparatus, renterial. Each of the blocks i6 is shownas in the 25 dering unnecessary the provision of special means hap f ninv rted T the horizontal lower end such as heretofore employed foradvancing the f a h blo k extending under the bottom surfinal portion ofthe pelt to :the cutting means. feces of the guide members l1, s shownIn addition, the invention provides new and im- Fi ure -l- The guidemembers af oresaidare each proved pelt feeding and discharge means, aswell fitted between the side elements 6, 6 of the frame- 30 as a noveland eilicient cutting mechanism. work and comprise lower horizontallyextending Other features of the invention will behereinafter flang s lely, which rest upon described and claimed. supporting bars 211, 20. Thelatter are mounted In the accompanying drawings: on a plate 21 mountedat its ends upon ledges Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a fur32 On e ame-W k- The members l1, I8 35 cutting machine embodying theprinciples of my may be Secured t0 the respective hers 25 and invention.to the plate 2! in any convenient manner as by Figure 2 is a verticalsectional view on line '2--2 bolts.

of Figure 1. V Extending into the spaces between the respec- Figure 3 isa vertical sectional view on line tive sets of teeth on the blades l3are stripper 40 3-4; of Figure 1, certain parts being broken away. teethor projections 23, which may be conven- Figure 4 is a horizontalsectional view on line iently formed on the upper end portion of the anof Figure 3.

guide member 11. It will be noted that the pelt Figure 5 is a view inend elevation. Ais positioned with its.fur.or hair side upwardlyReferring to the drawings, the reference nuand its opposite sideengagement with lower 45 meral 5 indicates the base portion and 6 theside rollers 8 and In. The lower side of the pelt is members of aframe-work upon which the mechlikely to be greasy, and the w te th 14 ofroller anisrn of the machine is mounted. Journaled in W in cooperat h hpp et 3 presaid side members are an upper feed roller 1 and vent theskins or pelts from sticking andpassa lower feed roller 8, between whichthe pelt'A ,ing' around said roller, said saw teeth l4 also 50 isplaced. Said rollers are shown solid in strucprecluding the P fromSliding SideWiSe nd r ture but longitudinally corrugated or fluted asthe a sweep of the knife l5 e fter indicated at T, 8, respectively, toprovide prodescribed. I jections on their periphery for improving theirThe knife I5 is secured to the knife carrier 24,

grip upon the pelt and thus expeditingtm feedwhich is slidablymounted inslots 25 in the side 55' has stripper fingers 36 which actuated to sweeprapidly across the 'tion of the feed mechanism. The latter speed, forwhich purpose the roller 1 the latter shaft having a tory in practicethough course be varied as desired.

members 6 and is suspended by links 26 from brackets 27 on said sidemembers. The brackets 21 may, if desired, be adjustably mounted uponsaid side members, as by bolts 28, as will be readily understood. Asshown more clearly in Figure 3, for example, each bolt 28 may bethreaded at its lower end into the associated bracket 21 and may passthrough a ledge 29 on the associated side member 6; which ledge may beengaged on its top and bottom sides by nuts 39, 3!, respectively, onsaid bolt. Each bracket may also be provided with slots 32, 32 throughwhich pass bolts 33, 33 into the associated member 6. The bracketsaforesaid, may thus be accurately adjusted to bring the knife l5 intoany desired re lation to the pelt for cutting thereinto to any desiredextent.

Journaled in the side members 6, 6 rearwardly of the knife I5 is a pairof pelt delivery or discharge rollers 34, 34, which are solid butgrooved circumferentially as indicated at 35. The portions of saidrollers between the grooves are corrugated or fluted longitudinally toprovide projections 34 for gripping the pelt. A comb member 36, attachedto one of the support bars 20, enter into the grooves 35 in the lowerroller 34; while a similar comb member 31 is provided with stripperfingers 37' entering the grooves 35 in the upper roller. The stripperfingers aforesaid prevent the pelts from becoming wrapped around saidrollers. It will be understood that each of the feed rollers 7, 9, andthe upper roller 34, may, if desired, be yieldably mounted under springpressure so as to be able to rise a slight distance; such mounting beingwell known in the art and shown, for example, in my Patent No.1,842,566, dated Jan. 26, 1932.

The various feed rollers and the knife I 5 may be operated from a commonsource of power. To this end the knife holder 24 is shown connected by alink 38 with a crank pin 38 on shaft 39 driven by pulley 40 through belt4| from a suitable power source; whereby the knife I5 is pelt in:alternately opposite directions during the operais actuated concurrentlywith the knife, but at reduced In is driven continuously from shaft 39through reduction gearing comprising gear 42 on said shaft, gears 43 and44 on shaft 45, and gear 46 on shaft 41, bevel gear 48 thereon meshingwith bevel gear 49 on the roller In. A gear 59 on the opposite end ofroller l0 meshes with gear 5! on roller 9, thereby driving the latter.An idler gear 52 meshes with gear and with gear 53 on the lower roller34 whereby the latter is driven from roller I9 in the same direction asthe latter, and at the same time the upper roller 34 is driven in thesame direction as roller 9 through gear 54 which meshes with gear 53. Anidler gear 55 meshing with gear 50 drives the lower roller 8, throughgear 56, in the same direction as roller I0; and the roller 1, throughgear 51 which meshes with gear 56, is at the same time driven in thesame direction as roller 9. The gearing between the shaft 39 and thefeed rollers is such as to cause feeding of the pelt a slight distancebetween successive sweeps of the knife l5. A feed of one thirty-secondof an inch between successive cuts has been found'satisfacthis distancemay of Immediately to the rear of the knife I5 I prodescription.

vide a positive air blast means which may comprise a pneumatic conveyorpipe. 58 mounted on the machine frame and connected to a suitable blower(not shown). From the pipe 58 there extends an air discharge conduit 59,which narrows at its outer end to provide an outlet 59' of restrictedarea extending across the width of the pelt and adjacent the line ofaction of the knife l5. The outer end portion of the conduit 59 extends,as shown, in such direction as to cause the air issuing therefrom tosweep across the line of cut of the knife [5 and thereby to remove thesevered layer of fur out of reach of the next out. In this way the knifemay cut across the pelt with extreme rapidity along successiveclosely-spaced lines and as soon as fur is severed along one line it isremoved from the path of action of the knife so that cutting of the furwhich has been severed from the pelt is avoided. A substantial saving offur is thus obtained and at the same time the machine may operate withthe utmost speed in the dehairing or defurring of the pelts.

Forwardly of the knife ers 1, 9, there is positioned a suction pipe 66,having an opening at 6| through which air is drawn in response to thesuction in said pipe, the latter being connected to any suitable suctionsource (not shown). The fur blown away from the knife l5 by the blastemerging from the conduit 53 is sucked upwardly to the pipe 60 fordisposal. Said fur may be sucked into said pipe through the opening 6|and thence carried through said pipe for collection, or may, as shown,be carried by said suction onto an endless conveyor screen or belt 62 ofair pervious material. A belt 63 is arranged adjacent the belt 62 andcooperates therewith to assist in elevating the fur deposited thereon,said fur being engaged between both belts during its upward travel withbelt 62, as shown in Figure 1, and thence continuing upwardly with bothbelts until, in the region of the roller 64 said fur travelshorizontally along the upper run of the belt 63 to a point of disposalbeyond the roller 65. With the foregoing construction the fur cut fromthe pelts and deposited on the belt 62 is compressed between the belts62, 63 into a continuous fleece which is delivered tothe disposal point.

The belt 63 is engaged with rollers 64, 65, 65, and 6'! and may bedriven in any convenient way; as, for example, by a chain 68 (Figure 5)extending from a sprocket wheel 69 on lower roller 34 to a sprocketwheel in on roller 65. Similarly, the belt or screen 62 may be driven bya chain 1| extending from sprocket wheel 12 on roller 1 to sprocketwheel 13 on roller 74 around which said belt 62 passes. The belts 62, 63are thus driven continuously with the pelt feed rollers and the knifel5.

Upon the departure of the pelt from the feed rollers 9, ID the latterplay no further part in the feeding of the pelt, but the travel of thelatter over the cutting bed l6 and past the knife i5 is continued by therollers 34, 34, which draw the pelt positively over said cutting bed andfinally discharge it from the machine.

The comb 37 may, as shown, be conveniently secured to the air blastconduit 58.

The operation of the apparatus illustrative of my invention will beapparent from the foregoing Briefly summarizing, the operator feeds thepelts in succession to the rollers 7, 8; and as each pelt is engaged bysaid rollers it is fed to the rear of the machine, first engaging therectly into said prises feeding the severing fur from said pelts at saidcutting 'stafeed rollers 9, l0, and then passing between the knife l5and cutting bed I6 and thence to the discharge rollers 34, 34. Therapidly reciprocating knife sweeps across the pelt in alternativelyopposite directions, each sweep of said knife cutting across the peltalong a line spaced slightly from that of the succeeding sweep, andsevering the adjacent hair or fur filaments close to the cases or rootsthereof. The hair or fur severed at each sweep is promptly removed fromthe range of the knife I5 by the air blast from the conduit 59 andthence is drawn onto the screen 62 by the suction in conduit 65 (ordiconduit if the said screen is omitted). The air blast from conduit '59not only removes the severed hair immediately from the line of action ofthe knife it but furthermore has the effect of laying back the unseveredhair or fur into more nearly horizontal position as the latter comesinto the range of the knife, thus facilitating the dehairing action. Theresiliently supported blocks It of the cutting bed maintain the pelt ineven engagement with the knife along the line of the cut despitesubstantial variation in thickness of the pelt with consequent evennessof cutting. The final portion of the pelt, upon emerging from therollers 9, I0, is drawn positively over the cutting bed and under theknife 15 bythe rollers 34, 34, which finally discharge the dehaired peltfrom the machine. When the belts 62, 63 are employed the severed hair orfur is transported to the point of disposal in the form of a continuoussheet or bat-- ting.

It may be noted that the air blast from the conduit 59, in addition toremoving the severed hair immediately after each cut, also acts to holddownwardly the end of the pelt which first emerges from the rollers 9,to. When the first part of the pelt is fed through said rollers, it hasa tendency to rise owing to the effect of the suction from the pipe "60and to the action of the knife l5. The downward blast of air from theconduit 59, however, insures that the pelt is held down against theblocks '16 and prevents it from wrapping around the roller 9 and therebychoking the apparatus. When said initial part of the pelt is gripped bythe rollers 34, 34, the tendency to become wrapped around the roller 9is terminated, but during the period preceding the entry of said partinto said rollers 34 the downward force of the air blast assures againstany choking of the machine bywrapping of the pelt around the roller 9.

The speed of the rollers 1 and8 is preferably slower than that of therollers 9 and In so as to produce a pull or tension upon the part of thepelt between the respective sets of these rollers, with consequentremoval of wrinkles from the pelt.

The terms and expressions which I have employed are used as terms ofdescription and not of limitation, and I have no intention, in the useof such terms and expressionaof excluding any equivalents of thefeaturesshown and described or portions thereof, but recognize that variousmodifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

I claim:

l. The method of dehairing pelts which compelts past a cutting station,

tion by cutting partially into the bodyjbf the pelt, directing an airblast onto thepelts adjacent the. cutting station to blow the sevei edfur alway from said station, and collecting the severed fur.

2. The method of dehairing pelts which comprises feeding the pelts .pasta cutting station, severing fur from each pelt at said cutting stationby cutting partially into the body of the pelt along each of a series ofsuccessive lines, during the travel of said pelt past said station,directing an air blast onto the pelt adjacent the cutting station toblow the severed fur away from said station, and collecting the severedfur.

3. The method of dehairing pelts which comprises feeding the pelts alonga given path, severing fur from each pelt at a cutting station in saidpath by cutting the pelt along successive closely spaced lines duringthe travel thereof, and directing an air blast upon each pelt adjacentthe cutting station from a fixed source rearwardly thereof andcompletely widthwise of the pelt to blow the severed fur away from saidstation.

4. The method of dehairing pelts which comprises continuously feedingthe pelts along a given rectilinear path, and severing fur from eachpelt at a station in said path by cutting partially into said pelt alongeach of a series of closely spaced lines transverse to said path duringthe travel of said pelt.

5. The method of dehairing pelts which comprises feeding the pelts alonga given path, severing fur from each pelt at a station in said path bycutting partially into said pelt along each of a series of closelyspaced lines transverse to said path during the travel of said pelt, andblowing the severed fur away from said station after each cut.

6. In apparatus for cutting fur from pelts, means for feeding the peltsin a-g-iven path, cutting means positioned adjacent said path andadapted to cut partially into the body of each pelt to sever furtherefrom, and air blast means adjacent said cutting means for blowingthe severed fur away frornsaicl cutting means immediately upon severingof said fur from said pelt.

'7. In apparatus for cutting fur from pelts,

means for feeding the pelts in a given path, A

means adjacent the path of travel of the pelts for cutting partiallyinto the body of each pelt along each of a series of successive linestransverse to the direction of travel of said pelt, means for directingan air blast onto the pelt severed fur away from said cutting means andmeans for collecting the severed fur.

8. In apparatus for cutting fur from pelts; i means for feeding thepelts in a given path, means for severing fur from each pelt alongsucc'essive lines transverse to the direction of travel of the pelt, andmeans rearward of said severing means for continuously directing an airblast 1 upon the pelt adjacent the cutting means and completelywidthwise of the pelt to remove the severed fur from. the path of saidcutting means.

9. In apparatus for cutting fur from pelts,

means for feeding the pelts along a given path, f

during the travel of said-pelt.

10.1n apparatus for cutting fur from pelts, means for feeding the peltsalong a given path,

means "to the rear of said feeding means for severing fur from eachpelt, and means on the adjacent said cutting means in a directionopposed to the direction of feeding of said pelts to blow the othersideof saidtsevlering means from said feedm5 ing means for directing acurrent of air upon said pelt to remove severed fur from the path ofsaid severing means.

11. In apparatus for cutting fur from pelts, means for feeding peltsalong a given path, cutting means adjacent said path, means supportingsaid cutting means for movement about a plurality of spaced pivots, andmeans for causing said cutting means to move simultaneously about saidpivots through positions parallel to each other in each of oppositedirections alternately and across the path of travel of said pelts.

12. In apparatus for cutting fur from pelts, means for feeding peltsalong a given path, cutting means adjacent said path, a pair of linkspivotally connected to said cutting means, supporting means pivotallyconnected to said links and means for swinging said cutting means andlinks through an arcuate path first in one direction and then in theother with respect to said supporting means and across the path of saidpelts.

13. In apparatus for cutting fur from pelts, means for feeding peltsalong a given path, a cutting element pivotally supported for swingingmovement across said path, in positions parallel to each other, andmeans for causing said el ment to swing across said path in oppositedirections alternately.

14. In apparatus for cutting fur from pelts, means for feeding peltsalong a given path, reciprocating cutting means for severing fur fromeach pelt, and means for directing an air blast adjacent said cuttingmeans in a direction opposite to the travel of said pelt for removingsevered fur immediately from the range of action of said cutting means.

15. In apparatus for cutting fur from pelts, reciprocating cutting meansfor severing fur from each pelt, means forward of said cutting means forfeeding pelts to said cutting means, and means rearward of said cuttingmeans and separate therefrom for directing an air blast upon each peltin a direction opposite to the travel thereof, to remove severed furimmediately from the range of action of said cutting means.

16. In apparatus for cutting fur from pelts, cutting means for severingsaid fur from said pelts, and means comprising a roller having sharpsaw-shaped teeth on its periphery contacting the skin side of the peltand an opposing roller having relatively blunt teeth for feeding thepelts to said cutting means.

17. In apparatus for cutting fur from pelts, fur severing means, peltfeeding means comprising a pair of rollers forwardly of said severingmeans and a feeding roller having saw-shaped teeth between said severingmeans and the first mentioned rollers.

18. In apparatus for cutting fur from pelts, fur severing means, meansfor feeding pelts to said severing means and discharging pelts fromwhich the fur has been severed, the second mentioned means comprising aroller, and stripper means cooperating with said roller for preventingwrapping of the pelt therearound.

19. In apparatus for cutting fur from pelts, fur severing means, meansfor feeding pelts to said severing means, means comprising a rollerhaving circumferentially grooved portions for discharging pelts fromwhich the fur has been sevcred, and means comprising elements projectinginto the grooved ing said pelt.

20. In apparatus for cutting fur from pelts,

portions of said roller for guidmeans for feeding pelts ing fur fromeach pelt, fixed air blast means separate from said severing means forremoving severed fur immediately from the range of action of saidsevering means, and suction means for collecting the severed fur.

22. In apparatus for cutting fur from pelts, means for feeding saidpelts, means for severing fur from each pelt, air blast means separatefrom said severing means and disposed on one side thereof for removingfur immediately from the range of action of said severing means, anair-pervious conveyor disposed on the other side of said severing means,and suction means for drawing the severed fur onto said conveyor.

23. In apparatus for cutting fur from pelts, fur severing meanscomprising a knife element and means for moving said knife transverselyacross the pelt, and roller means for feeding the pelt along a pathtransverse to the path of said knife, said roller means comprisingaxially spaced projections preventing the pelt from sidewise movementwith respect to its path of travel under the action of said knife.

24. In apparatus for cutting fur from pelts, roller means for feedingpelts along a given path,

means rearward of said feeding means for severplurality of sets ofrollers for feeding said pelts along a given path, the speed of one ofsaid sets of rollers being slower than that of the other set for placingthe pelt under tension and removing wrinkles therefrom and meansadjacent said sets of rollers for severing fur from said pelts.

26. In apparatus for cutting fur from pelts, roller means for feedingpelts along a given path, means adjacent said roller means for severingfur from said pelt as it travels along said path, and air blast meansfor directing a downward blast of air upon said pelt as the latteremerges from said roller means to hold the pelt in place for the cuttingoperation and to prevent wrapping of said pelt about said roller means.

27. The method of dehairing pelts which comprises feeding the peltsalong a given path, and severing fur from each pelt by causing a cuttinginstrumentality to sweep toward the pelt and across thesame and .to cutpartially into the pelt.

28. The method of dehairing pelts which comprises feeding the peltsalong a given path and severing fur from each pelt by causing a cuttinginstrumentality to sweep toward the pelt and across the same and to cutpartially into the pelt, meanwhile yieldingly supporting the portion ofsaid pelt directly opposite said cutting. instrumentality.

29. In apparatus for cutting fur from pelts,

along a given path, re-

ciprocating cutting means for severing fur from each pelt, and meansseparate from said cutting means for directing a constant air blastadjacent said cutting means in a direction opposite to the travel ofsaid pelt for removing severed fur immediately from the range of actionof said cutting means.

30. In apparatus for cutting fur from pelts, reciprocating cutting meansfor severing fur from each pelt, means forward of said cutting means forfeeding pelts to said cutting means, and means rearward of said cuttingmeans and separate therefrom for directing a constant air blastdownwardly upon each pelt and in a direction opposite to the travelthereof, to remove severed fur immediately from the range of action ofsaid cutting means.

31. In apparatus for cutting fur from pelts, cutting means for severingsaid fur from said pelts, means comprising a roller for feeding thepelts to said cutting means, said roller comprising a series of axiallyspaced elements, each having saw-shaped teeth on its periphery, andstripper means cooperating with portions of said roller between saidelements for preventing wrapping of the pelt around said roller.

32. In apparatus for cutting fur from pelts, fur

severing means comprising a knife element and means for moving saidknife across the pelt, and roller means for feeding the pelt along apath transverse to the path of said knife, said roller means comprisingaxially spaced elements each having saw-shaped teeth on its peripheryfor preventing the pelt from sidewise movement with respect to its pathof travel under the action of said knife.

33. A method of dehairing a pelt comprising feeding a pelt in a givenpath, repeatedly reciprocating a severing element transversely of saidpelt to sever successive portions of fur from said pelt, and directing aconcentrated substantially continuous stream of air adjacent saidsevering element and completely widthwise of the pelt to blow away thesevered fur.

34. In apparatus for dehairing pelts, means for feeding a pelt along agiven path, knife means positioned transversely to said path andarranged for movement in a plane transverse to said path, and air blastmeans positioned adjacent said knife means for removing severed furimmediately from the path of said knife means and for maintainingunsevered fur in position to be cut.

ROBERT H. PLASS.

